WMTW News 8's Shernay Williams reports on a group of veterans of World War II and Vietnam who started a journey in Vinalhaven that will end with visits to monuments in Washington, D.C. as part of the "honor flight" program.

This will be 86-year-old Leonard Skoog’s first time to see the World War II memorial. He enlisted in the Navy when he was 17.

“I live kind of a quiet life since then, and all of a sudden we’re meeting people and enjoying it. It’s great,” Skoog said.

For Fred Small, a Vietnam veteran, the recognition is also sweet.

“I find myself receiving a lot of compliments now, while back in (the) 1970s I really was looked at as one of 'those guys.' Kind of hurt,” Small said.

Small said lack of support for the Vietnam War left many veterans feeling forgotten. Events such as this, he said, are heartwarming.

“Everybody is pretty excited about making this happen,” said Earl Morse, who organized the trip through Honor Flight.

Morse said the nonprofit has flown more than 100,000 veterans from across the country to see the D.C. memorials.

The organization relies on community donations and fundraisers.

“School kids at the Vinalhaven School, they held a lasagna dinner,” Morse said.

The veterans will stay in Washington until Sunday to tour the memorials. Organizers said this is the first group of Maine vets to participate in the program. The goal, they said, is for all Maine veterans to have the experience.

“I’m proud to walk around and talk about it,” Small said. “And people ask me what it was like, and I think it’s important today for, especially young people, to understand that the war is not anything that’s glamorous and I’d like to pass on that feeling that I have about it.”

SIDETAL (VO) RIGHT NOW... A GROUP OF MAINE VETERANS IS IN WASHINGTON D-C WITH A JOURNEY THAT STARTED IN VINALHAVEN. THE VETERANS WILL TOUR WASHINGTON'S MONUMENTS ON A TRIP COURTESY THE NON-PROFIT, ORGANIZATION, "HONOR FLIGHT." W-M-T-W NEWS 8'S SHERNAY WILLIAMS CAUGHT UP WITH THE VETS BEFORE THEY LEFT THE JETPORT. THE VETERANS DEPARTED FROM THE JETPORT A FEW HOURS AGO-READY FOR AN ADVENTURE THEY SAY THEY'LL NEVER FORGET. --- ON THEIR OWN CHARTER PLANE FOUR VETERANS ARRIVED AT THE PORTLAND JETPORT AND WALKED THE RED CARPET. AS THEY ENTERED THE BUILDING APPLAUSE FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE. Leonard Skoog/WWII Vet 16:24:43 it's quite a treat, you know." 24:45 THIS WILL BE 86 YEAR OLD LEONARD SKOOG'S FIRST TIME SEEING THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON D.C. HE ENLISTED IN THE NAVY WHEN HE WAS 17. Skoog 16:24:46 I live kind of a quiet life since then and all of sudden-we're meeting people and enjoying it. It's great." 24:54 FOR FRED SMALL A VIETNAM VET, THIS RECOGNITION IS EVEN SWEETER. Fred Small/Vietnam Vet 16:30:42 I find myself receiving a lot of compliments now while back in 1970's I really was looked at as one of those guys. Kinda hurt." 30:53 HE SAYS LACK OF SUPPORT FOR THE VIETNAM WAR LEFT MANY VETERANS FEELING FORGOTTEN, BUT EVENTS LIKE THIS, HE SAYS, ARE HEARTWARMING. Earl Morse/Honor Flight 16:29:01 everybody is pretty excited about making this happen." 29:03 EARL MORSE, WHO ORGANIZED THE TRIP THROUGH HONOR FLIGHT, SAYS THE NON-PROFIT HAS FLOWN MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND VETERANS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO THE D.C. MEMORIALS. THEY RELY ON COMMUNITY DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISERS. Morse 16:28:34 school kids at the Vinalhaven School, they held a lasagna dinner." 28:40 NOW THESE VETERANS ARE HEADED ON A TRIP, TO REFLECTHONOR FALLEN FRIENDSAND HAVE CLOSURE. Small 16:31:59 It's changed so much now. I'm proud to wear this hat. I'm proud to walk around and talk about it and people ask me what it was like and I think it's important today for especially young people to understand that the war is not anything that's glamorous and I'd like to pass on the feelings that I have about it." 32:18 ---- THE VETS STAY IN D.C. UNTIL SUNDAY TO TOUR THE MEMORIALS. ORGANIZERS SAY THIS IS THE FIRST GROUP OF MAINE VETS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TRIP, BUT THE GOAL IS FOR ALL MAINE VETERANS TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE. IN PORTLAND, SW, WMTW, NEWS 8.

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